Medicam or Adequan?
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Our dog who is 10 seems to be suffering from arthritis. He started limbing, licking his joints, unwilling to jump up things, refusing to go up stairs, loss of appetite, etc.
The vet told us she thinks he is getting arthritis & put him on Medicam, which made him much better. I talked to a friend & he told me about Adequan, which he told me actually helps the problem where Medicam is pretty much a pain relief med. Also I read there can be side effects to medicam.
Does anyone have an opinion on which is better?
Medicam is also very expensive. Still i'm giving what ever he needs to get better.
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Just a thought - I had good success with Cartrophen injections for my cat who had osteoarthritis. It is also indicated for osteoarthritis in dogs and is considered a 'disease modifying anti-osteoarthritis drug'. You might want to discuss this treatment with your vet.
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Your friend is correct - Metacam and Adequan are completely different. Adequan is given by injection in a series and helps by preventing the cartilage in the joints by wearing down. It helps slow the progression of arthritis. You'd have to talk to your vet about whether or not they use Adequan, or could get it for you.
Metacam is one of the most popular NSAIDs, used for pain relief. If your dog responded well to the Metacam, that's great. The nice thing about Metacam, being a liquid, is that it can be titrated down to the lowest effective dose for your dog. You can't do that as easily with the tablet form NSAIDs. Getting your dog on the lowest effective dose is better for the dog (less drug to metabolize) and of course easier on the pocket book. You will also want to make sure that you have baseline bloodwork done now, and then regularly after to make sure that the Metacam isn't causing any changes. Most vets will not recommend Metacam for a dog with any signs of kidney disease.
A couple other things you might consider for a dog with arthritis. I'd be giving a fatty acid supplement. Also giving a supplement with glucosamine at therapeutic levels. (The OTC diets that say that they have added glucosamine are never at therapeutic levels.) There are also a couple newer prescription diets that are aimed at joint health, which I have seen a number of positive results with.
Hope this helps! -
Thanks for the replies, when I need my next refill I will discuss with the vet. Also he has blood work in the past, does it need to be specific for the medical?
He is doing so well that he was running the "basenji 500" the other day around our coffee table.
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You want to make sure the blood profile includes kidney and liver values. Most basic profiles will do those.
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I personally feel if the dog is just getting arthritis, jumping into drugs… not so dog friendly.
I have had SUPERB luck with something as cheap and safe as Bromelain. It acts as a natural NSAID and, btw, I take it myself.
Adequan.. lol I am one of the first people that had a vet use it off label for dogs. Back over 15 yrs ago it was only for horses, but I had a dog with CHD. The vet gave me the medications and had me do massive (about 3 x the number of shots and double the current dosage) injections for my Rottweiler. Later we used it with very good results on my old rescue pony. Adequan basically helps the synovial fluid which helps buffer joints from rubbing. It helps some but not all arthritis. I suggest you give it a try... fairly safe and with long lasting results.
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I looked up Bromelain
Bromelain has resulted in allergic reactions and asthma symptoms, including breathing problems, tightness in the throat, skin hives, rash or itchy skin. People with allergies to pineapples should avoid bromelain. Allergic reactions may also occur in people with allergies to latex, carrot, celery, fennel, rye, wheat, papain, bee venom or grass, birch or cypress pollens.
Our dog has a wheat & grass allergy so am hesitant about it. Thanks for all the responses.At first we tried Cosequin that the vet recommended, but did not notice any improvement. Thats when we went on to Medicam.
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I second the additional supplements of glucosamine
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My rottie was allergic to wheat, never had an issue with bromelain. I am allergic to every grass pollen etc, have no issues (I also have asthma). It was a miracle for my rottie who hurt a disk throwing (I kid you not) wheat straw bales. I looked out in back yard and she looked like she was practicing for some ancient highland event. Chiropractor, meds… it was awful (she held up front leg and cried due to the disk in her neck). Bromelain kept her stable and back to her playful self. Run out? She got ouchy. I am sure by that point more arthritis, but it helped. So you might want to try it to see if any reaction, or go with other nondrug options.
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I was looking at Petsmart & see that bromeliad is not sold on its own that I saw only combined with other substances.
Any recommendations on a brand?
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Acupuncture. The elderly JRT I used to care for had acupuncture treatments for arthritis in his hips and it helped him immensely.
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I order mine off amazon, no joke. Cheaper than our local stores and health stores.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G7R414/ref=oss_product -
Thanks, can't beat that deal.
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I use a magnetic collar on mine if they develop arthritis. I fine they work brilliantly - I've even used one on a sheep who couldn't get up on to her legs because of the pain - she lived on for several pain free years.
I also second using Bromelain or Glucosamine supplement.
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Acupuncture. The elderly JRT I used to care for had acupuncture treatments for arthritis in his hips and it helped him immensely.
I can confirm this…. for Basenjis
